Hinging-locking mechanism



May 28, 1935. F, PERL 2,003,008

HINGING-LOCKING MECHAN I SM Filed March 29, 1934 INVENTOR m M'Q/ Patented May 28, 1935 HINGING-LOCKING MECHANISM 1 Albert Henry Franks Perl, Birmingham, England Application March 29,

1934, Serial No. 717,957

In Great Britain March 28, 1933 ,2 Claims.

5 ing-locking mechanisms, and tables with folding legs, provided with such mechanisms, all as hereinafter described and claimed. 7 f A The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figs. 1 and 2 show the hinging-locking mechanism according to the invention applied to' con: nect a leg of a collapsible table, for instance, a card table, to the table top, Fig. 1 showing in full lines the leg folded close-to the table top and in broken lines the leg opened to its vertical position, but prior to being locked in that position, ,7

and Fig. 2 shows the parts in the locked position. In the drawings, the hinging-locking mechanism according to this invention comprises four hingeplatesPi, P2, P3 and P4 which are connected together by the four pintles H1, H2, H3 and H4. The hinge-plate P1 is bent to form four sides of an open rectangular box adapted to receive the top of the leg M when the latter is folded close to the table top T. The hinge-plate P1 is rigidly fastened to the underside of the table top T and the hinge-plate P3 is rigidly fastened to the leg M which may be positioned at the corner of, the table, as shown. The hinge-plates P1 and P3 are connected together by the pintle H2. The hinge-plate P3 is also connected to the hingeplate P4 by the pintle H3 and the hinge-plate P1 is also connected to the hinge-plate P2 by the also arranged in the same plane, these two planes being at right angles to each other.

When the leg M is in its folded position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the pintles H2 and H4 are collinear, thereby enabling the leg M to be moved away from its folded position into its operative position shown in broken lines in 'Fig. 1. In this position of the leg M, the pintles H1 and H3 are .collinear, thereby enabling the hingeplates P2 and P4 to rotate, as one member, about their respective pintles H1 and H3 into the position shown in Fig. 2, in which they prevent movement of the leg M in any direction from its open position and thereby effectively lock it in that position. The provision of a spring S surrounding the pintle H3 renders this locking operation automatic.

One of the sides of the box member P1 acts as -a stop against which the locking hinge-plate P2 abuts in the locking position of the hinge-plates P2 and P4. In order to provide a'still more rigid device; a projection 3 isprovided on the'hingeplate P2 which engages,-in the locking position, in a slot 2 in the adjacent side wall of the hingeplate P1. This engagement between the'projection 3 and slot 2 ensure that any play which may be present in the hinges, due to inaccuracies arising out of mass production methods of manufacture, is effectively counteracted, and a rigid structure results. 1

I claim: a 1. In and for a table with folding leg, a hinging-locking mechanism comprising a hinge-plate for attachment to said leg, hinged to a.- second hinge-plate for attachment to said table, two further, locking, hinge-plates hinged together and also hinged to the first two hinge-plates aforesaid, one to each, the pintles which hingedly connect all said hinge-plateslying in two planes at right, angles to each other so as to permit of relative movement between said first two hinge-plates into a predetermined position, whereat the pintles connecting said first two hinge-plates with said locking hinge-plates are collinear, to permit said locking hinge-plates to rotate aboutthe pintles last-mentioned and thereby lock and brace said first two hinge-plates in said position, said secand hinge-plate being bent to form a box, of

. which said hinge-plate constitutes one end, having the other end and the top open to accommodate said leg when folded, and adapted to be secured by its bottom to said table,'one side of said box forming an abutment adapted to be engaged by the adjacent one of said locking hinge-plates in the predetermined position aforesaid, and a. spring for urging said locking hinge-plates locking position. r

into their 3 2. In and for a table with folding leg, a hingt ing-locking mechanism as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the said side of said box and the said adjacent locking hinge-plate include complementary bracing means, adapted to engage one with the other in the said locking position.

ALBERT HENRY FRANKS PERL. 

